Opportunity International

Opportunity International "was founded in 1971 by two visionary leaders who were moved by the hunger and poverty of people in developing countries. Al Whittaker, former president of Bristol Myers International Corporation in America, and Australian entrepreneur David Bussau sought a solution that would transform people's lives without creating dependency.

"Opportunity was one of the first nonprofit organizations to recognize the benefits of providing microloans as capital to those working their way out of poverty. When clients build businesses with Opportunity loans, they often set into motion monumental changes. Family income rises. Children are well fed and go to school. Homes are improved. Women gain status. For clients around the globe, these transformations take place every day – beginning with loans as small as $60. "

Strategic Partners
Helping to build Opportunity's microfinance institutions around the world.


 * AfriCap, Habitat for Humanity, Omidyar Network, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hilton Foundation, Oracle/Hyperion, Blue Orchard Finance, ING, United States Agency for International Development, Caterpillar Foundation, Inter-American Development Bank, UPS, Citgroup Foundation, John Deere Foundation, Western Union, Compassion International, Levi Strauss Foundation, World Bank's Consultative Group to Assist the Poor ,Credit Suisse, Lenovo, Goldman Sachs, Nike Foundation

Leadership Team
Accessed July 2010:


 * Bill Morgenstern, Chief Executive Officer
 * Rick John, Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer
 * Dennis Ripley, Senior Vice President, International Business Development
 * Mark Lutz, Senior Vice President, Global Philanthropy
 * David Knibbe, Senior Vice President, Resource Development
 * Connie Stryjak, Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Board
Accessed July 2010:


 * Bradley J. Bell - Wheaton, Illinois
 * Steven D. Cosler - Winter Park, Florida
 * Rodney Dammeyer
 * Sandra Davis
 * Deborah A. Farrington - New York, New York
 * Dawn Parsons Feller - Hinsdale, Illinois
 * Susan Gillette - Winnetka, Illinois
 * Jim Hamilton
 * Betty Jane "BJ" Hess (Vice Chair) - Hingham, Massachusetts
 * Julie Hindmarsh - Balitmore, Maryland
 * Richard Hoefs - Fitchburg, Wisconsin
 * Jessica Jackley - San Francisco, California
 * Peter King
 * John McKay - Santa Ana, California
 * Jeffrey S. Meyer - Orchard Park, New York
 * Theodore D. Moser - Oakland, California
 * Betsy S. Perdue (Secretary) - Chicago, Illinois
 * David L. Simms - Newton Square, Pennsylvania
 * Jill Dailey Smith - River Forest, Illinois
 * Nathaniel Sutton - Matteson, Illinois
 * Mark A. Thompson - Minneapolis, Minnesota
 * Peter Thorrington (Chair) - Palos Verdes Estates, California
 * Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka - Spotsylvania, Virginia
 * Mark Vaselkiv (Treasurer) - Baltimore, Maryland
 * Terrence A. Watson - San Francisco, California

Advisory Board
Accessed July 2010:


 * Tony Campolo, Professor Emeritus & Author, Eastern University
 * Doris Christopher, Founder & Chair, The Pampered Chef
 * Carly Fiorina, Former Chairman & CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company, and Chairman, Fiorina Foundation
 * Christina Gold, President & CEO, Western Union
 * Tony P. Hall, U.S. Congressman and U.S. Ambassador
 * Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus, University of Notre Dame
 * Claudia J. Kennedy, U.S. Army (retired)
 * Martin Marty, Professor & Author, University of Chicago
 * Dikembe Mutombo, Houston Rockets, NBA; Founder and Chairman, Dikembe Mutombo Foundation
 * Fidel V. Ramos, Former President, Republic of the Philippines
 * Susan Samueli, Board Co-Chair; Head of Foundation, The Samueli Foundation

Contact
URL: http://www.opportunity.org

Related Sourcewatch

 * Catalyst
 * Diana Villiers Negroponte
 * Transformational Business Network
 * David Bussau
 * Opportunity International Network
 * Opportunity International UK